The Hennessey Board of Trustees held a special meeting Wednesday morning, October 28, to approve an application for grant funding to purchase a new hydrovac trailer for the town’s water and wastewater department.
The proposed equipment, a Ditch Witch HX30 hydrovac trailer with a 500-gallon tank, uses high-pressure water and a powerful vacuum to safely uncover underground water and sewer lines without damaging them. It can also remove mud, sand, and standing water from excavation sites, making repairs faster and easier for town crews.
The town is seeking approximately $43,000 through the Rural Economic Action Plan (REAP) grant program, along with an additional $10,000 from OMAC. If both funding sources are approved, the town’s share of the purchase would be approximately $9,000.
Tiffany Rowen, Town Administrator explained that Hennessey had previously applied for other grant funding for the equipment but was unsuccessful due to heavy competition.
Board members expressed support for the purchase, noting that having the equipment available locally would eliminate the need to hire outside contractors for certain jobs and could quickly pay for itself.
Both the Hennessey Board of Trustees and the Hennessey Utility Authority held separate special meetings and approved the necessary actions to move forward with the grant application.
The purchase is contingent on receiving grant funding. Photo provided.
About The Author
